Aviation honchos sure India will fly smooth

New Delhi: India’s aviation honchos came together at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit against the backdrop of deepening recession and the worst crisis facing the sector.
Praful Patel Civil Aviation Minister admitted that the biggest hurdle for the aviation industry was lack of infrastructure. The Indian aviation sector has reported a loss of Rs 8,000 cr in the recent past.
“The biggest reason why Indian aviation did not grow all these years is wrong taxation because even today we fail to acknowledge that air transport is a mode of public transport. The biggest reason is that not creating the right infrastructure,” he said.
“Tell me one Indian airport where you can take a connecting flight. Airport infrastructure has never been designed,” he said.
He also insisted efforts must be made to bring down air fares. “I will urge the entire aviation industry whenever some help is given then it should reflect in some form like lower airfares,” he said.
Speaking at the Summit, Kingfishers and UB Group Chairman Dr Vijay Mallya said that fares can only be reduced if ATF is listed under the declared good category.
Also speaking at the summit Jet Airways chairman Naresh Goyal said the aviation industry at present was going through a bad phase and the phase will continue for the next one or two years.
22/11/08 CNN-IBN

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Categories: Indian Aviation- In General Nov 2008